Gary Finger - member since January 2000

We pay tribute to our wonderful pianist this week. Gary is 57 and is partnered with second tenor, Rick Carkin. When asked how long he has been in the chorus, Gary quoted Vera Charles in Mame and replied, "I've NEVER been in the chorus!" He actually joined as a baritone seven years ago and became the accompanist one year later. Gary works as a Systems Engineer with Verizon. He says it is not nearly as impressive as it sounds.

Gary's favorite activities include attending the opera, symphony, recitals, theatre and the movies. He says he pretty much enjoys anything where he can sit back and be entertained, and hopefully there is music involved. Gary's favorite movie is The Best Years of Our Lives, the classic post World War II drama. His favorite musical is Show Boat, naturally.

Gary was fearful of dating himself with naming his favorite band, The Mamas & The Papas. His favorite classical singer is Joan Sutherland, the famed Australian opera soprano. His favorite theatre singer is Rebecca Luker, a Broadway veteran who won a Tony for her role as Marian in the revival of The Music Man. She also had leading roles in Sound of Music, Show Boat, and Phantom of the Opera, to name a few.

Gary doesn't really have a favorite moment in the chorus, but walking into rehearsal every week always puts him in a good mood. He also enjoys the special feeling of parading into a venue to perform.

And once again, Reuben Ranzo is voted as least favorite chorus song. This being the third vote for this song, I had to do a little online research. For those of you who have not heard the song click here to visit a site with an acapella folk version. "Ranzo me boys, Ranzo!" There are also different lyrics depending on if you search for Ruben Ranzo or Reuben Ranzo.

Gary has several songs that he would like for the chorus to try. There are almost too many to name (but he did anyway). He would like to do Jerome Kern's The Song is You, along with Irving Berlin's Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil, How Deep is the Ocean, and Noel Coward's Come the Wild, Wild Weather. Classically, he would like to try How Beautiful Thy Dwelling Place from Johannes Brahms' German Requiem. And from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, he would like to try So Long and Thanks for All the Fish. He comes across songs at odd moments and considers whether arranging would work or not.

Gary will sing The Land Where the Good Songs Go for his maker when that day comes. He will follow up with Go Little Boat for an encore. After the second standing ovation, he will conclude with Make Our Garden Grow.

The question that Gary would like to see on the next questionnaire: "You've asked too many darn questions already!" His goal for the chorus is to perform more classical music. But next time we will not dedicate a whole show to it as we saw just how much work that takes. Gary would also like to the see the membership grow to 40 or 50 singers, with an endowment of one million dollars and our own rehearsal space. "Ya gotta think BIG, Roxie!" All kidding aside, we are quite lucky to have such fine talent in our midst, a man who works hard for the pennies that we pay him. Thank youy, Gary!